


Intact

by AnotherGarbageWriter



Category: No. 6 - All Media Types, No. 6 - Asano Atsuko
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, He may be dead, Inukashi deserves more love, Inukashi is my child, M/M, Nezumi's a grumpy college student, Safu's a medium, Shion is dead?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-13 03:40:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9105061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherGarbageWriter/pseuds/AnotherGarbageWriter
Summary: Nezumi can see spirits and there's one haunting his college dormitory.





	1. Good Riddance

**Author's Note:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

     "-Oh, and we should probably inform you that an incident was reported in dormitory six a few months back. Details on what actually happened are curtly limited, and all police Investigations were drawn to a close." the attendant explained as she rummaged through a file cabinet, fishing out a thin stack of student paperwork. "furthermore, we're unable to disclose anymore information about the matter at this moment."

     Nezumi resisted the urge to pry; to many questions nipped at the tip of his tongue. He faked compliance with a casual nod, deciding to avoid the thought altogether. The attendant's words refused to captivate his undisturbed attention whilst his focus had drifted someplace else and instead, he caught himself staring at the humanoid silhouette that had manifested itself behind the woman's shoulders. A strange, hooded spectator was looming over her frame with an unwavering glare. Nezumi's gaze didn't flinch. 

     Aparrations, phantoms, yōkai, spirits- all were branched from the same parallel world of bewitchment and calamity. There was no fear for Nezumi to swallow, for he himself knew that the spirit world's connection to the living world was held by a thin, malleable chain. Nezumi witnessed it everyday, except he was unable to recall the exact instant it started, which in all felt like an empty fold of faulty repressed memories. Nezumi has solemnly refused to tell anyone that he could see spirits, simply for the lack of asserted care into avoiding unnessary interactions. 

     "Your assigned roommate is Inukashi."

     His gaze slipped away from the aparration as he looked back at the woman, finally feeling the weight of her words in what felt like a full minute of contempt.  _Of course it had to be Inukashi. Out of all 6,000 other students in the school, it just had to be the doggish brat_. His eyebrows knitted into a ghost of a scowl, and he resisted the urge to vocalize his thoughts. He decided to keep his tongue tamed to avoid any minor inconviences. After all, a bad mark was too easily achievable, and his reputation was a form of pride he couldn't neglect, assuming that it was somehow connected to his obscure and egotistical nature. With slick charm, he flashed her a small smile that strictly stayed on his lips.

     "Thanks, I'm _beaming_ with enthustism." His face remained neutral with a spark of innate charisma as he took another fill-out form from the front desk, grey eyes wandering over to see if the aparration was still there. It was gone and to say the least, he was surprised. Normal spirits remained attached to one person exclusively, but in rare cases, they somehow became entangled and chained to an object or place. 

     Nezumi spun on his heel, wishing for the whole verification process to end. He was often haunted by otherworldly beings; ones of inexplicable realities to which were still a mystery to him. They often followed him without any sort of clear reasoning, proceeding themselves like inescapable thoughts, both stubborn and ingrained to his being. He walked out of the office, letting his strapped backpack hang loosely on his shoulder. His feet suddenly stopped. A ghastly sensation arose from the end of the hallway. 

_He doesn't belong._

     Nezumi's eyes darted around to search for the source of the voice. _It wasn't human._ It was a dry, ageless hum, with glossy clarity of that which was unmistakable. He made his way to the nearest campus restroom, closing the door with the least bit of urgency. He leaned against the door and crossed his arms, awaiting for spirit to envince itself once more. 

    "What do you want? You've been following me all day." Nezumi's sharp tone echoed through the walls of the restroom, providing him with a sense of self awareness. To the average person, he looked like a complete madman. His eyes skimmed over the paint-tampered urinals, as he gripped the strap of his backpack tighter. "Go ahead, speak up. I'd hate to go on a tagent witchhunt."

 _He doesn't belong_ , the voice repeated.

     An uncanny presence swung itself before Nezumi's eyes. It wore long, dispersed robes that were the color of coal, decorated with curls of virdenscent vines. It's face was hidden by a placid animal mask, resembling the shape of a deer by it's imprinted features. Golden antlers sprouted from its head like savory honey roots, while it's body retained a humanlike appearance. Little yellow flowers putruded from the vines that twisted along it's antlers.

     Most spirits were obvious in the way they presented themselves. It was easy to tell one spirit from another, but Nezumi wasn't astounded by any means. He simply didn't care enough to let them intervene with his day to day errands. From a young age, he'd learn to distinguish benovent spirits from malevolent ones, and he knew this one had certainly originated from the depths of a boreal forest because there was no _reasoning_ for it to be here. It's umoving glare was all Nezumi needed to realize _why_ it was here, and why it was seeking after his assistance. 

     "What are you talking about? Why are you telling me this?" Nezumi asked in a more patient voice, realizing that the spirit's intentions weren't all that fiendish. The spirit remained perfectly still, releasing soft flickers of wavering energy that infiltrated Nezumi's senses. Without explantion, It's lanky stature shifted and extended it's hand to point a ghostly finger at the paperwork Nezumi was holding. 

_He doesn't belong in our world. Save him, or his soul will be devoured._

     Nezumi opened his mouth to speak, but a forceful wind pushed him back with an unreleneted force. The boy rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, wondering what the aparration had meant by it's incoherent strip of words. He didn't care who's soul was devoured, or for what reason had it contacted Nezumi, because they _were all the same._ He let out a deep breath, sauntering over to the sink and staring at his mirrored reflection. Nezumi wasn't anyone's savior and he wasn't going to spend his time looking for earthbound spirits. He dropped his paperwork and backpack aside, staring into the restroom mirror with contempt.

     He was alive,  _they_ were _dead, and that's all that mattered._

     Nezumi turned on the facet, letting the water slip through his fingers and trickle off his skin like a gentle drizzle. He cupped his hands together and leaned into the sink, bringing a frigid handful of water to his face. The boy then pulled up his obsidion hair into a loose ponytail, securing it with a tie and letting a few strands tickle the sides of his cheeks. _He was a human being, not a posterboy messenger for the dead_. If _they_ couldn't understand that, he wouldn't fight it. His grey eyes, pigmented with the color of a wolf's wintry fur, flickered with a hazy glimmer. A soft breath exhaled past his slightly parted lips, almost as if confirming to himself that his warm blooded pulse was still beating with the uneven rhythm of a rebellious clockwork. 

     After gathering himself, Nezumi grabbed his backpack and went out in search of the dormitory room he would be sharing with Inukashi. Of course, Inukashi and him were known be an explosive pair, both owning nasty temperaments. There were a few moments he vividly recalled. 

     " _You're a delusional rat. There's no such things as spirits!"_

_"Oh, you shouldn't stay such things." Nezumi retorted, letting the grin on his lips widen. "there's one behind you."_

_Inukashi yelped and fell over._

     It wasn't all that bad, disregarding the time where they both got into a knife fight on school grounds. That left a deep, clean cut on his shoulder and school record. Nezumi paused and stared at the room in front of him. He fished out his keys and pushed open the door, peering inside to see if Inukashi was there. Fortunately, the heavy stench of wet dog wasn't stinking up the room just yet. _That was a good sign_. He glanced over his shoulder as he heard footsteps approach from behind. Two students, plausibly freshmen, made their way to the residence across from his. 

     "Ay look, it seems like that dorm is occupied again." One of them mentioned, gesturing at the doorway where Nezumi was standing. Nezumi simply unzipped his backpack and ignored the conversation, not interested on what gossip they had to spew. 

     "Huh." The other replied, darting him a look of curiousity. 

     "Yea, apparently the case was identified as a suicide, and all investigations were closed. Sucks what happened to him." 

     Nezumi froze. The attendent at the office never mentioned a suicide. 

_Why hadn't anyone informed him?_

     "Heck, I heard he was pretty smart too." The second one shrugged, unlocking his own dormitory and letting the keys dangle between his fingers. Nezumi could see them in the corner of his eye. He hated the fact that he had  eavesdropped on an insignificant talk between two strangers. He couldn't care less about who inhabited the place before him, taking that he should be more worried about Inukashi's wave of unsavoury torment. 

     The dormitory was compacted into four paper-thin walls with two scrawny beds, a drawer, and a rusted lamp. The air was barely breathable, making him wonder if studying was even possible in such a vexingly small space. One way or another, he didn't have the energy or motivation to care. He tossed his bag on the bed and collapsed right beside it, letting the day's exhaustion soothed him like a sleep inducing spell. His eyelids felt heavy as his body began to sink into a quiescent state of being. 

     "Are you asleep?"

     Nezumi's eyes snapped open as his body stiffened, and a sense of danger overtook him. He sat up, eyes darting to inspect every corner of the room with unhindered intensity. 

     "Hey, I'm over here." The voice rang out once more, carrying itself like the soft ocean breeze that whistles and placates the wind after a storm. Nezumi swiftly turned around to face the source of the voice. 

     A boy, roughly his own age, stood there with a small but bewildered smile on his lips. His hair was a shade of russet that perfectly complimented the burnt amber of his eyes. There was glint of distant _wonder_  in those light welding eyes, both containing a vivacious spark that no spirit possessed. 

     This boy was undoubtedly human. 

     "I'm sorry, you're in the wrong dormitory." Nezumi muttered in slight annoyance, pushing a disobedient strand of hair behind his ear. He made a mental note to secure his room to avoid any more unsolicited visits. Grey eyes locked with amber ones. 

     "So... _so_ you can see me!" The boy beamed, pointing at himself with elation. Nezumi blinked, dumbfounded by the other's ecstatic behavior. "You're the first person to speak to me in weeks. Ah, I should introduce myself. I'm Shion." His smiled grew fainter as he spoke, eyes emmiting curiousity like those of a lost child.

     "I don't care who you are. Just get out before I kick you out myself." Nezumi said with a menacingly calm voice, staring up at Shion with irritation. 

     "I'm afraid I can't do that." Shion replied. 

     "And why is that?" Nezumi countered as he leaned in, crossing his legs on the bed with passive frigidness. This _Shion_  person was testing his patience at this point, and Nezumi wasn't in the mood for going in circles with anyone. 

     "I don't know what's happened to me. I-I think I might be dead. " Shion answered with faltering articulation, noticing the contorted tilt that was forming on Nezumi's lips. 

     "You? _A spirit?_  Did Inukashi set up a prank on me or something?" Nezumi's playful tone quickly shifted to a more serious one in the matter of mere seconds. "Well, tell Inukashi you got me good.  _Now leave._ "

     "Bu-" 

     Nezumi was done. He was _sick_  and _tired_  and just wanted to be alone. Shion wasn't giving him the luxury of privacy he so _desperately_ deserved. He stood up, walking over to where Shion was standing and outstretched his arms to shove the boy. 

     In the flutter of a second, his hands missed and Nezumi's sense of balance was lost. He stumbled foward, turning to glare at the other boy with mistrust and indignation. "Did... _did_ you just dodge me?"

     "No, I told you before. I...I don't know what's happened to me...but you can't physically hurt me." Shion replied with a hint of frustration, sounding just as overwhelmed as Nezumi by the situation. "If you still don't believe me, go ahead and punch me." 

     "What?" Nezumi muttered, still trying to concentrate on the other's words.

     " _punch me_."

     Nezumi's fingers twitched. With a little more encouragement, he would have done it. Of course, he'd rather not take liability for Shion's _grade A plan_  of promoting unnecessary violence. 

     "Are you deaf? I've already asked you to leave. If you can't do that, than I'll call someone who will." Nezumi snapped, making his way towards the bed where his cellphone lies. Shion's eyes fluttered, and he quickly side-stepped infront of him. Nezumi, irked to the point of frustration, expected there to be some sort of collision. 

     Nothing happened, and Nezumi remained still because he hadn't bumped into Shion. In fact, he hadn't had _any_ sort of physical contact with the boy. They both remained idle for a lengthy amount of seconds which seemed to tick away like minutes.

     Nezumi was coming to terms with the fact that he had just walked through Shion, and that Shion  _wasn't lying._

     Nezumi spun around and stared at the _spirit_ with utmost panic. "what the hell are you?" 

     Shion rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. His expression was devoid of any mirthfullness. "I don't know."


	2. Quicksand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. :']

     An austere silence pervaded the room like trembling ripples on a creek's surface, making the dormitory breath with unsteadiness. 

     "Your skin." Nezumi punctured the silence with a softer voice, coming to terms with the fact that Shion was nothing more than an another humdrum spirit. "There's a red scar on your neck. How did you get it?" 

     Shion's countenance changed, and he looked like he was trying to _remember_ , to _focus_ , to _percieve_ something that was long gone. His bottom lip trembled as he ran his fingers over the scar with a forelong and solemn gaze. "It wasn't there before." He murmured faintly, looking up at Nezumi with despondency. "All I know is that I can't leave this room. The scar...it gets worse everday." 

     "What do you mean?" Nezumi asked. 

     "It started on the base of my neck, but now it twists along the skin of my whole body. I don't know what's happening to me, I-"

     "Your appearence is changing and it will continue to change the more you stay here." Nezumi interjected, recalling the many times he'd encountered vagabond creatures. They all seemed perplexed and lost, searching for something they themselves couldn't comprehend. It was a land of the astray, where the rabbit hole was a never-ending loop of suspended time. Then again, he'd never been interested in helping them and couldn't _care_ less about their perturbed existence. His eyes met with Shion's. "You have to move on, or else you'll be rooted to the living world forever." 

     "move on? I can't even remember how I died!" The spirit exclaimed, fear margining the softness of his voice. 

     "Well, that's not my problem." Nezumi said as he turned his back to Shion, shifting focus to the unattended paperwork that was scattered on his bed. The finalized applications were due the next morning, and he wasn't planning on missing the deadline. He sat on his bed and withdrew a pen from his pocket. His handwriting was curved with such swift, dainty strokes, that even the ink seemed to dance along the lines of the folded paper. 

    "Your handwriting..."

     Nezumi's hand stopped moving. 

 _"It's nice_." The spirit finished, peering over Nezumi's shoulder to see the paper. 

     "You're not planning on leaving until I help you, right?" Nezumi soothingly replied as he popped the pen close with the heel of his palm. 

    "Yes, I intend to keep my ground. I just need to know why I'm still here." Shion's voice wavered as he spoke, having trouble getting the words past his throat. He swallowed, lowering his gaze to the floor. "I don't know what's happened to me, but I'm scared. I want to see my mother again because there's so many things I never got to tell her." 

    Nezumi wasn't one to sympathize with anyone. He wouldn't burden himself with such a task as helping a spirit move on to the next world. Such altruistic actions were for weak minded fools.The only reason why he choose to agree was because _his_ own privacy was at risk. 

     "Alright. I'll help you out with one condition. Stop talking so damn much and stay away from me." Nezumi adroitly proposed, watching the other with sharp, owlish eyes. 

     Shion's expression was vivified with happiness. "Those were two conditions but okay, I guess we have a deal...uh-"

     "Nezumi." The dark haired boy muttered, feeling a bothersome strand of hair hang loosely behind his ear. He wasn't used to introducing himself in such a sincere manner, and the words felt unfamiliar on his tongue. "My name... is Nezumi." 

     " _Nezumi_." Shion chimed as the corner of his lips turned upwards. "Is that a sacred name of some sort? Where did you come from? Your eyes are be-"

     "Shion."

     "Oh sorry, it's just that I haven't talked to anyone in weeks, and I thought I was losing my mind for sure." Shion smiled as he plopped besides the other boy, earning a mixed look from Nezumi. 

    "How can you sit on the bed? Are you some sort of poltergeist or something?"

     Shion shrugged and patted the sheets wistfully. "I wish I knew. I guess part of me is still connected to the living world somehow. After all, I managed to trick you into thinking I was alive." He grinned as Nezumi shot him a half-hearted glare. 

     "You abruptly woke me up, so what did you expect?" Nezumi retorted as he was reminded of his disrupted nap. 

     "I expected you to see right through me."

     "Figuratively or literally?" 

     Shion's eyelids fluttered as his gaze slipped away to stare at the blank, empty ceiling. His lips creased into a smile. "Both."


	3. Disturbances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shion is lovestruck. Nezumi practices enchantments. Inukashi discovers something terrifying.

     Days left quicker than they came, and Nezumi was already overwhelmed with schoolwork. Inukashi hadn't shown up for  _three whole days_ , and he started to wonder if the stray preferred dogpounds instead of civilized housing. It was nearly nighttime, and the air had cooly settled on Nezumi's cheek, nose, and lips.The colorless clouds camouflaged with the earthly grey of the boy's irises, and his hair was draped loosely on the side of his shoulder like a black cascade. Nezumi entered the building where his dormitory was located and climbed up the stairs with slight exhaustion. His classes were long, and he had rehearsals for theatre club later that day. 

     He drew a quiet breath, feeling something strange overwhelm the core of his senses. He couldn't quite _describe_ the feeling, but he knew it had to be troublesome because it came from the end of the hallway where his dormitory was located. His feet instinctively moved quicker, anxious to know the source of his uneasiness. His feet came to a leisurely stop. 

     Before him was an incomprehensibly large creature with an uncanny resemblance to a dire wolf. It's white-specked nose was sniffing around the dormitories while emitting a low, cautionary growl. Black markings of what seemed to be sacred symbols and letters curved along the thick fur of it's cumbersome body. It was _definitely_ not one of Inukashi's dogs, and it's spirit energy was far too great for it to be a living creature. 

     Nezumi bit his lip in realization; _It was here for Shion._

     There was no reason why Nezumi couldn't just let _it_ take Shion as a way to get over the whole ordeal. Frankily, that sounded terrific and evidently convenient. All he had to do was to reverse the spell that repelled spirits from his dormitory, and they could all waltz in with the endgame of leaving Nezumi alone for good. It was the _perfect_ resolution. 

     But Nezumi was a man of his word. 

     A rash and unnecessary promise was woven into his consciousness like a permanent scar on his skin. He couldn't break, bend, or crush it. He looked at the aparration straight in the eye and fished out a lighter from his pocket. The creature sneered ferociously, turning to stare at the challenging boy with direful intent. Nezumi swiftly reached into his backpack and pulled out a sandy colored paper with inky kanji writings on it. He brought the charm to the lighter, igniting the flame within a spark of a moment. 

  _追放_

     The paper burned, releasing a soft gust of energy that made the beast stumble backwards. A soft whimper left it's snout as it retreated, disappearing into the shadows of the dimly lit hallway. 

     Nezumi scoffed, flickering off the lighter and shoving it back into his pocket. Ever since he was a child, these _creatures_ pestered and threatened the normacy of his life. His mother had taught him how to ward off the creatures with simple _yet_ effective spells, so the boy went on to create his own protection charms which worked out perfectly due to his articulate and fluid style of writing kanji.

     He unlocked the pad to his dormitory and was greeted with a seeping string of soft cries and hiccups. The boy who had always been so viviscent with hope was now hugging himself in the corner of the room, quivering as if the walls were made out of ice. Shion was crying. The boy's eyes flared with relief as he saw Nezumi. 

     "You're back..." Shion muttered as the dark haired boy shrugged off his backpack and sat on the floor next to him. "I thought something had happened to you."

     There was something _subtle_ about those words that dug deep into the strings of Nezumi's heart. Maybe it wasn't those words. _Maybe_ it was the fact that Shion had been worrying about him when in reality, he should have been worrying about himself. The brunette's eyes were glistening like baltic amber stones, and Nezumi felt entrapped by their heartfelt sincerity. 

     "Hey." Nezumi whispered, watching the boy stifle back his tear filled voice. His tone was soft and almost _comforting_ , filling Shion with a sense of affection he more than welcomed. "You know they can't come in here, right?"

     Shion swallowed, wrapping his arms around himself and looking away. "I know that they can't come in." The boy confessed, giving the other a fond and unblinking gaze. "I was worried about you, Nezumi. I thought that thing would attack you."

     A soft chuckled arose from Nezumi's throat as he listened to Shion's adrift tone. "You don't need to worry about me. You should only worry about yourself." He soothed, watching the subtle change in Shion's expression become apparent.

     "Idiot." Shion snapped, clearly upset by Nezumi's statement. 

     "Pardon?" 

     "You're an idiot." Shion repeated, drying his wet eyes with the back of his hand. "If you were in danger, I would have left this place to find you, even if it shattered my very soul."

     "Stop bluffing. You've only known me for four days-"

     "But you were the only one who was willing to help me when no one else did. I think that counts for something." Shion rapidly disclosed, feeling upset about the other's doubting expression. 

     For a fleeting moment, Nezumi wanted to touch and comfort the dead boy. It was an impulse his heart yearned for, yet he couldn't understand why he felt that way. Nezumi's eyes fluttered with guilt. This boy was opening up to him in a manner that no one else had. It felt strange to be cared for. 

_It felt nice too._

     "You're not very good with words, are you?" Nezumi snorted as Shion opened his mouth to protest. 

     "What do you mean by _not good with words_?"

     Nezumi laughed at the dumbfounded Shion and stood up with a heartfelt smile. "You figure it out. I need to go somewhere." 

     "Where?" Shion asked. 

     "To the theatre room. We're having rehearsals tonight." Nezumi nonchantly responded as he pulled out a small, black bag from the drawer. It's contents rattled like broken utensils. "I'll back by ten, so don't wait for me like you always do." 

     "Woah, you do theatre? Like Shakespear plays?"

     "Occasionally. You don't know much about theatre, do you?"

     Shion shook his head. "I was going to major in ecology." Shion stated flatly, dropping his gaze to the floor. "I had a promising future, but then it all...it all just..." Shion's voice trailed off. His eyes were mundane and empty. 

     "Shion?"

     "It doesn't matter anyways. I'm sounding self absorbed, aren't I?" Shion's sunflower smile bloomed on his lips with glassy, unshining eyes. His expression was hazy like saltwater. "I just...wish I could remember what happened that night."

     "Maybe you're better off not knowing. If you let go of all that concealed pain, you might be able to peacefully pass on."

     "But I don't want to pass on, I want to live again." 

     It was true. Shion wanted to _breath_  and _run_  and _feel_ his steady heartbeat accelerate like the rapids of a river. He wanted his lungs to inhale serene woodlands in the spring and exhale calamitous blizzards in the winter. He wanted his feet to carry him to the tallest mountain and shout till his voice was gone. 

_I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive._

     But that was merely just a fantasy, a desire, a dream. 

     Nezumi was staring at him with quiet eyes, his expression unreadible. "But you still went on to commit suicide, didn't you?"

     Shion swallowed the lump in his throat. Nezumi's harsh question had blinded him completely. "I _know_ that I didn't." 

     Nezumi leaned against the drawer, agitated by the spirit's puzzling words. If Shion claimed to have not killed himself, then that meant something else had. Worriment bubbled up in his chest."I guess we'll have to find out, won't we?"

     "We?"

     "Don't get cocky. I'm only helping you because this is _my_  dormitory." Nezumi quicky retaliated, but all traces of harshness in his voice were gone. It had change and it was light-hearted and playful. He rustled and shoved a number of tattered scripts into his bag, packing his things to head over to the theatre for evening rehearsal. 

   "Wait- Nezumi."

     Nezumi froze. Shion's voice had captured him like an enchantment. He turned around to feel a cool puff of air brush against his own warm lips. It felt icy, like an ocean breeze that seizes the shore in the deadfall of night. His heartbeat quickened. Shion had literally blown him a soft canoodle. "Thank you for everything." he whispered affectionately, lips inches away from Nezumi's. 

     Nezumi hesitantly exhaled and nodded, a little stunned by the other's blunt and peculiar action. It was strange, because Shion had caught him off guard in such a way that no one else had done before. He turned the doorknob and left as quickly as he could. 

     It was strangest kiss he'd ever received. 

* * *

     Inukashi was losing his patience. The corner of his mouth twitched into a sarcastic grin. "Is this a joke? I refuse to move in with that asshole." 

     "I'm sorry, but your complaint was recieved too late and all permanent changes have already been set in stone. However, when the semester ends you may schedule a meeting with your counselor and-"

     "Three days isn't late. I was hospitalized and _this_ is how I'm treated?" Inukashi barked, pointing a finger at his bandaged arm. For the past week or so, Inukashi had been sedated in a hospital bed, counting the hours and sleeping his days away. When the doctor came in to question his injuries, Inukashi confessed that he had saved a stray dog from getting hit by a truck. 

     He didn't regret a single broken bone.

     "I apologiz-"

     "You know what? I'll contact the administrator of this school myself." Inukashi stated angrily as he left the office in a fit of frustration. He would talk to the dean of the faculty department if it came to it, just so he could get proper acknowledgment for his case. Inukashi stopped. 

_That's it._

     He would head straight to the main office and complain till his heart's content. Give them a piece of his mind. Inukashi's frown turned into an upwards look of confidence. He started walking steadfast down the hallway. The hallways were empty and secluded of students, which should have been a red flag for the fleeing dogkeeper. By the time he figured out where he was, his anger had died down and the adrenaline of emotion was gone. His eyes scanned for a room or an opening, until they landed on a door with a large yellow sign plastered on it. 

  _SUPERVISOR AND FALCUTLY MEMEBERS ONLY. STUDENTS NOT PERMITTED._

     Inukashi catiously approached the door, pushing it open with one, short-lived nudge. 

 _So much for no students allowed_ , he thought. 

     The door lead into another hallway ( _much to Inukashi's dismay_ ) with multiple rooms and offices branching from it. He looked around, finally finding the room that belonged to the lowly faculty staff known as Rikiga. Everyone knew him as the shady but trustworthy drunk. Inukashi peeked through the small window that was bordered by the door, and let out a groan of frustration. The room was pitch black, which meant it was empty. 

     It was a stupid idea anyways, and he would be in a great deal of trouble if someone other than Rikiga found him mingling in the hallways of a private faculty zone. This place was giving him the chills anyways. Inukashi spun on his heel and began heading back when the sound of steps approaching bounced off the walls in a clicking pattern. Inukashi's heart stopped. 

 _Idiot, idiot, idiot! What were you thinking?_ He mentally scolded himself, feeling a sense of vertigo overwhelm his body. 

     The steps were getting closer, and the voice of an officer- no, _inspector,_ became audible. Inukashi's first instinct was to hide. If he got caught, he would have to pay a terrible fine _on top_ of his crippling student loans. He could even get expelled from the college in a worst case scenario. Inukashi's adrenaline kicked in as he looked around and tried all the doors to the offices surrounding him. They were all locked. The footsteps were now louder than his own racing heartbeat, and he was already bracing himself to get caught. His eyes landed on the janitorial closet that was right across from him.  _Bingo._ Inukashi wasted no time in pulling the door open and flinging himself in. He closed it, holding his breath with anxiety. 

     "It's fine. The kid won't wake up. What? No. His life support is cutting out for good soon. Mhmm. Yeah." 

     The man he was hiding from was in the middle of a phone call. Inukashi recognized his voice. It was coming from the head inspector of the school's security bureau, _Rashi_. A gasp seethed past Inukashi's teeth. The voice was manipulative and sickly sweet, reminding him of the folks who inhabited the city's slums known as _West block_. It was where Nezumi and him had grown up. Drug dealers, criminals, and con artists roamed the streets. Both boys chose to put that life behind them. 

     "Yea, we'll also take care of that girl. Safu? She scored third in the merit competion. Yeah. What?" The man stopped. "Of course not, no one knows. Her grandma just died." The sound of keys dangling filled the cruel and dreadful silence, while the man's footsteps descended down the hallway. Inukashi was dazed. _Were the officials targeting elite students?_   He flung open the door and before he realized it, he was running. His heart was clammering with repulsion. 

_Humans were repulsive._

* * *

     Nezumi clipped his bangs back and flipped through the set of newly distributed scripts. The scripts were condensed into a small collection of contemporary comedies, ones he wasn't enthustic about revisioning on stage. There was a light chatter ciculating around the room, mostly consisting of castmates discussing which plays to feature the upcoming season. He stood off to the side, scanning the pages with his eyes but his mind wasn't processing the words. He brought two fingers to his own lips, almost feeling the lingering traces of Shion's kiss.

_It almost felt real._

     "Nezumi, you alright? You seemed dazed." A castmate asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off and swooped up his bag from the floor. 

     "Yeah, I'm fine. Listen...I need to go." He swung his bag over his shoulder, earning strange looks from the other club members. The production coordinator stood up to intervene, but Nezumi was aleady out the door. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh how the tables have turned. 
> 
> ┐('～`；)┌ I feel like the real story starts here. 
> 
> Also, I'm aware that Inukashi is nonbinary. I refer to them as a "him" to not complicate the narrative.
> 
> Happy New Year!
> 
> REUNION WILL COME 2K17 
> 
> (Hopefully)


	4. Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A loophole of loopholes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :') hi  
> I typed this all on my phone without autocorrect, so you might see some funky stuff.

     Inukashi's back collided with a nearby wall, earning a soft thud that stubbornly lingered in his eardrums. 

     "You should watch where you're going." Nezumi said in a bland manner, watching Inukashi struggle to keep his composure. 

     "Same goes for you." Inukashi huffed. His eyes fell on the pile of scripts scattered the floor, confirming his suspicion of Nezumi's elective whereabouts. It was purely coincidental how the both of them had bumped into each other in such a silly manner, irony hanging above them like a poorly executed joke. 

     "Who's chasing your tail this time?" Nezumi mused as he bent down to collect his papers one by one. Inukashi clicked his tongue and looked away. 

     "It's nothing that concerns you."

     "So much for mutual honesty." Nezumi replied. 

     "This isn't a battle of wits, Nezumi. I wouldn't even bother concocting up an excuse for your sake of troubles." 

     Nezumi slipped a paperclip onto the corner of his script pile, wondering if he should staple the stack to prevent it from collapsing again. Inukashi watched him with judging eyes, feeling slight irritation crawl up his back. "At least you should apologize to me."

     Nezumi stood up straight, hooking his thumb around the strap of his backpack. "I believe in fair exchanges."

     "But- you're the one who pushed me!"

     "It was self defense." Nezumi countered, pulling out his cellphone to tap it on. "Besides,  I need to talk to you about something. I need a favor." 

     Inukashi felt himself grow more petulant with each passing second he had to spend talking to Nezumi. "I'm not doing any favors for you." 

     "I'll pay you." 

     "Not interested." Inukashi blandly remarked with a shrug, avoidant and aware of the place where the conversation was headed. He felt annoyed, and tried his best to make it evident, desiring nothing more but to be left alone for the remainder of the day.

     "It's urgent." Nezumi replied in a softer tone, flipping his phone over to let the screen face Inukashi. "I need information this person."

     On Nezumi's phone appeared a picture of five students grouped together for a photograph. They were most likely to be elite students, taking that they all retained clean smiles and a set of proper attire only worn by those with a fair amount of wealth in their pockets. In the left corner of the picture stood a boy, seemingly humble by the softness of his expression, who was clearly the person Nezumi was referring to. Inukashi unintentionally leaned in and squinted his eyes, catching a better glimpse of the picture. 

     "Asking me for help is bit unconventional, don't you think?"

     "I don't have the resources to figure this out myself." 

     Inukashi snorted. "And what makes you think I do?" 

     "You personally know someone who has the private adminstration code the school file archive. Security cameras, hidden emails-" Nezumi paused, shoving his phone back into his pocket. "All I need is information on the student who committed suicide at this school."

     "Can't you just search it on the internet?"

     "I did. There was nothing but blatantly exaggerated articles, cleary just cashing in for clicks."

     "Me doing this could get us both kicked out, you do know that?" 

     "It's plausible to assume so." Nezumi hummed in an almost amused tone. 

     Inukashi shook his head, feeling a little frustrated by the lightness of Nezumi's tone. "Why are you concerned over some dead preppy anyways?" 

     "He's haunting our dormitory."

     Inukashi would have started cackling if it weren't for the fact that he had experienced  these strange occurrences first hand, courtesy of Nezumi's wild ability to see and hear otherworldly creatures. "I don't understand. Are you saying he's a spirit?" 

     Nezumi leaned back with an unreadible expression, almost as if he himself was having a hard time answering that question. "What I'm saying is that he's an unusual case, and it's going to be harder to get rid of him." 

    "Wait, didn't you just say that he commited suicide?" 

     "That might as well be an assumption or a false allegation at this point, because no news outlet has fully covered the story, nor does anyone retain any information worth mentioning." Nezumi said in an articulated manner, sounding much more serious than before. 

     Inukashi crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. "There's something weird going on, and I don't want to get involved. It's your problem, not mine."

     "I already said I'd pay you." Nezumi said as he glanced over to see the bandages on Inukashi's left arm. "And It would be shame if you had to pay all those medical expenses by yourself." Nezumi added with a mocking and downright conscending voice, making Inukashi's eye twitch with irritation. 

     Instead of snapping back with an equally agressive tone, Inukashi's shoulders dropped as he inwardly cringed. Nezumi was right, he needed the money, and even a little assistence in the matter was helpful. He tilted his head to the side, looking somewhat defeated. "You know what? Fine." 

    "Great, I'll make sure to email you." 

    Inukashi opened his mouth, wanting to ask how Nezumi had obtained his email in the first place. However, there was something that bothered him even more, taking that Nezumi was one of the most arrogant and self-centered people he had ever encountered. 

     "Why are you doing all this?" Inukashi asked, seemingly hopeful that he would get a coherent response that surpassed the other boy's inert cynicalism. 

     Nezumi's position shifted at this question, making the strands of his hair cast dark lines of shadows on his cheekbone.

     "I don't want any more inconviences in my life." 

     Inukashi sighed, because he knew better than to expect any other answer. 

 

* * *

 

     Two weeks had passed. 

      In the day of Inukashi's first arrival into the dormitory,  Shion became aware that the boy was incapable of seeing or acknowledging his presence. 

     That soon changed when Shion knocked the lamp over, repeating the action five consecutive times right in front of Inukashi. All skeptism and doubts were obliterated from that point on, much to Shion's relief. 

     At the current moment, Shion was alone. The room was quiet and almost peaceful, occasionally being disrupted by a flicker of a curtain or a chirp of a cricket. _It was nice_ , Shion thought. There wasn't much for him to do besides contemplating the times when he was alive, fully breathing and existing. Now, the lack of sensation felt hollow, surreal, and unpleasantly bitter. 

     Shion would often use this silence to reminisce the times when he locked himself in his bedroom, letting his mind chant the lines of a textbook like a prayer, fully aware that he was committing himself to a life of total isolation. He would sometimes forget that there was more to life than memorizing facts, and that reality didn't include a pre-designed instruction manuel. There was only one goal he sought after, and the rest, including his friends and family, were sided as something _other_ than necessary. After all, Shion remained kind, sincere, loving, yet faithful to his ambition for praise, and now that he had been thrusted into Nezumi's life, he got anything but _that_. His conflicted feelings changed when he realized how lonely he truly was, and how much he yearned for another person's company. 

     Shion came to the conclusion that Nezumi was the same, hiding behind a cold facade that was breaking at the bridges. Shion was glad that he had found someone like himself, becoming well aware that it was too late for the both of them because their meeting was nothing more than a cruel mistake. 

     Shion could cry and laugh and fume, but he promised himself he would never resent his fate, because his life was over and Nezumi was the one who would walk him through the end of it. 

     There was a soft shuffle of feet outside the dormitory, and the door began creaking open. Shion, who had been staring at the fluttering curtain for _who knows how long_ , sat up and unconsciously ran a hand through the thin strands of his hair. 

     Nezumi was back, having his backpack hanging loosely on his shoulder like usual while both hands were occupied with a load of grocery bags. He looked like he had a hard time carrying it all by himself. Loose strands of hair were sticking out from all sides of his ponytail, and Shion wanted to say he looked silly, but above all beautiful, and if he could reach out to skim his fingers through it, he would.

     "Hi" Shion chided as he watched Nezumi put the grocery bags away.

     "Hey" Nezumi briefly responded as he put the freshly bought items in the minature dormitory fridge. Most of those items were microwaveable foods, which seemed to be typical for the lifestyles Nezumi and Inukashi had. "So I assumed your majesty stayed put all day, guarding the castle from any flith ridden intruders?" 

     "Precisely that, excluding the guarding because I just let you in."

     "Ouch." Nezumi played along, putting a hand over his chest and supporting his weight against the fridge in an overdramatic manner. "That was quite the attack. You're getting good at this."

     "Learned it from you." 

     "Course you did." Nezumi said, taking out two slices of whole wheat bread to make himself a sandwich. "But from anyone else's perspective, I'm more savvy by the nature of my personality." 

    "Perhaps you should teach me then." Shion replied as he tilted his head to the side, wondering why Nezumi preferred whole wheat over other kinds of more delectable breads. He personally never liked the grainy and mushy taste of it, but watching Nezumi consume it so causally made him want to reconsider his bias.

     "One cannot become a master overnight." Nezumi eloquently mused, taking a dull knife and slicing the sandwich into four symmetrical squares. "However, with pratice, you might be able to learn a thing or two." 

     Shion blinked, somewhat intrigued by how peculiar Nezumi sometimes acted, and how his inner curiosity made him want to learn more.

     In the past two weeks, he's learned that Nezumi has awful study habits, but never fails to retain that innate wisdom for anything involving literature. He learned about how the boy secretly enjoys reading out loud to Shion even when he tries to mask it with the excuse of mundane script pratice, making Shion realize how enticing and elegant his voice was, even when he was being nothing more than a sarcastic jerk. Shion loved everything about Nezumi's company, causing him to occasionally forget that he was a spirit dwelling in a cold, unwelcoming world. 

     Shion then let out a short-lived chuckle and looked over at Nezumi's direction with a starry gaze. "I'd like to think that I'm a quick learner." 

     "You'd like to think alot of things." Nezumi replied before taking a bite from his sandwich, watching Shion's expression wilt into a look of disappointment. 

     "What's that suppose to mean?" He asked, feeling a little insulted by Nezumi's punturing statement. 

     "You tell me." 

     Shion resisted the urge to pout, feeling as if Nezumi was dragging him into a loophole of cryptic answers. "I'd rather hear it from you." 

    "Well for starters, you'd like to think you're smooth." Nezumi shrugged, putting his sandwhich down and pressing two fingers against his own lips. Shion instantly knew what Nezumi was referring to with that gesture, and he found himself regretting ever asking in the first place. 

    It was then when Nezumi puckered his lips _ever so slightly_  to let a soft exhale escape against the pads of his two fingers. Shion could already feel the embarrassment radiating off his cheeks with the mere implication of acknowledging what Nezumi meant by this.

    Of course Nezumi would find a way to bring up Shion's "kiss" into their conversation, because he knew that it was the perfect tactic to get him extremely flustered whether he wanted to admit it or not. 

     Shion preferred _not_ admitting it. 

     "I don't know what you're talking about." Shion hotly replied, hating to be put on the spot by someone who had no limit to their sheer bluntness.

     Nezumi raised a brow. "Oh I think you do, but perhaps you're more of a visual learner. Maybe I can model it differently-"

     "Nez-"

     "If I recall correctly" Nezumi hummed, walking towards Shion in an unhurried pace, as if his movement were following an evenly cut pattern of rythmes that only Shion could dare to appreciate. "You'd like to think that it's wise to steal a kiss from a stranger and somehow get away with it."

     Shion looked away, feeling the florid complexion of his cheeks never leave. "I didn't think you'd mind, I mean- it's not like it was a real kiss or anything." 

     Nezumi then stopped, shaking his head and running a hand through his messy ponytail. "You're terrible at this, you know that?" 

     "At what?"

     "Keeping the conversation interesting."

     "Oh."

     "It's alright, because I deeply believe that anyone can learn if they have a good enough teacher-" Nezumi's eyes fluttered with a hint of playfulness, mainly because he knew he was referring to none other than himself. Shion had come to terms with the fact that Nezumi often enjoyed putting himself on a pedistool. "And fortunately for you, there's me." 

     Shion blinked, taking Nezumi's words to heart, even if he was fully aware that he shouldn't. "If you say so."

     "Lesson one, it's a novice mistake to just _assume_." 

     Before Shion had time to protest, Nezumi was leaning and closing the gap between them, making Shion's heart uncontrollably beat faster, even if he knew that it was virtually impossible for them to kiss. 

     Still, Shion instinctively closed his eyes, trying to focus on the blow of Nezumi's kiss upon his lips, which ( _to Shion's dismay_ ) never came. 

     He opened his eyes, watching Nezumi backing away and holding up a smug gaze. "Once again, you'd like to think I was going to kiss you." 

     Nezumi had a cruel way of proving his points, Shion concluded. 

     Nontheless, he let out an exasperated sigh and smiled. "I guess I did." 

     Nezumi watched him carefully, lips twitching upward for a brief moment as if to almost laugh. He then proceeded to turn around with the goal of finishing his sandwich."What would you do without me?" He teased as he reached over to grab a water bottle from the fridge, finding them to be much more refreshing then ones kept at room temperature. 

     Before Shion could respond, Nezumi closed the fridge and turned his gaze towards Shion's direction. Nezumi's eyes locked with his, erasing all current thoughts from his head and replacing them with a state of emotional catharsis. 

     "Your hair..."

     "My hair?" Shion repeated, imitating the movement of Nezumi's lips without even realizing it. 

     "It's... white." 

     Shion's eyes widened as reached up to touch his own hair, feeling the pulse of his heart accelerate against the curves of his ribcage. His breathing became unsteady, and everything around him felt like a blur, as if the speed of the world was continuing without him. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that it was all just a nightmare, and he would wake up to find himself back in his body without any consequence of what had happened. Instead, he found himself lost in a void of oblivion, unsure of who or _what_ he was, and how fate had allign itself to destroy him in such a hellish manner. 

     "Shion."

     A voice that belonged to Nezumi swept him back into reality. Shion finally let out a soft breath and slowly opened his eyes once more, relieved to see that Nezumi was still there. 

     And Shion knew Nezumi would remain there, because it became the single thought that made him feel at ease.  

     "Shion?" Nezumi repeated in a more ambiguous manner, staring at Shion with a look of concern. 

     "I don't..." Shion's voice trailed off, feeling like if he raised his voice any further, he would break. "I don't know _what_  I am."

      **"** We'll figure it out. Soon everything will be alright." Nezumi replied in an equally comforting tone, trying too hard to sound empathetic.  

     Shion's eyes fell to stare at the ground, trying to concentrate on the sound of Nezumi's voice. "By alright, do you mean that I won't exist anymore? Is that it?" 

     "Shion-"

     "I don't want to _pass on_."

      Nezumi stayed silent, not knowing how to comfort the boy any farther. The only thing they could both do was _wait_  or _accept_ , but for a moment, Shion attempted to fantasize about a third option. 

     One where he was alive, and he could comfortly sit besides Nezumi, letting his fingers trace along the creases of the other boy's palms, fixated on how elegant they flexed with each moving breath. One where he would go to his mother's bakery, hug her and apologize, and she would say that there wasn't any need to, but he still did because he loved her unconditionally. 

     In the end, he still felt like a stupid idealistic fool, and nothing would ever change the amount of sheer regret that filled his chest. There was a silence, and Shion closed his eyes once more to embrace it. The dormitory fell quiet, except for the gentle inhales coming from Nezumi, and the occasional steps belonging to passerby students. 

     Shion wondered if this was the way things were truly meant to play out. 

     Their moment of shared silence was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door being pushed open. Standing there was none other than Inukashi, who stared at Nezumi with sharp, unblinking eyes. 

     "I found a witness who was there the night of the incident."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone needs to write a spin off fanfiction of no.6. 
> 
> Like actually 100% humor based. 
> 
>  
> 
> Please I'm dying.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my god this story is so edgy. 
> 
>  


End file.
